GREENSBORO, N.C. – High Point scored three runs in the first inning and never relinquished the lead in a 7-4 non-conference victory over the UNCG baseball team Wednesday evening inside the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The Panthers improve to 5-4 overall while the Spartans drop to 4-5.

Freshman LHP Andrew George (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) earned the first start of his collegiate career, but also took his first loss throwing 4 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on five hits with five walks and four strikeouts. Cas Siber was credited with the win for High Point as he pitched two innings of relief and gave up one run on no hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Junior outfielder Zac MacAneney (Gibsonville, N.C./Virginia Tech) had another great day at the dish, going 3-for-5 and scoring two runs. He was 5-for-6 yesterday against Wake Forest and reached base in all six at bats. Junior infielder Hunter King (Mason City, Iowa/Northern Iowa Area CC) added three runs batted in to his week’s total which is now six after he plated three runs in yesterday’s walk-off victory. Chris Clare paced the Panthers with three hits in five at bats with one RBI.

High Point out-hit UNCG 13-8 while both teams made one error. The teams combined to issue 13 walks and tallied 17 strikeouts as both squads used five pitchers.

Tim Mansfield led off the contest with a triple to right center and scored two batters later on a RBI groundout by Spencer Angelis. Then, with two away, Cody Manzella hit a ball to shallow right field which was just out of the reach of Spartan outfielder Tyler Long (Halifax, Va./Louisburg College) and allowed runners from second and third to score – extending the High Point lead to 3-0.

George settled down after the first inning and pitched two perfect frames before UNCG broke onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. A trio of singles loaded the bases for King who hit a sacrifice fly to left to score MacAneney.

The Panthers answered right back, however, on a RBI single by Clare in the top of the fourth. After King drew a walk to load the bases in the bottom of the fifth, redshirt freshman Julian Abreu (Miami, Fla./Florida Christian) scored on a fielder’s choice play to leave the score at 5-2 after six complete.

With High Point leading 6-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, freshman catcher Jake Kusz (Durham, N.C./Riverside) doubled to lead off before MacAneney reached on an error to put runners on the corners. MacAneney then reached second on a groundout and King came through with a two-out, two-RBI single through the left side to cut UNCG’s deficit to 6-4.

The Panthers added another run in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final margin as the Spartans went down in order in the home half of the inning.

UNCG continues its seven-game homestand this weekend, welcoming Georgetown to the UNCG Baseball Stadium for a three-game series. Game one is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28 at 4 p.m.